


Tommorow's Light

by Limy_world



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bullying, Friendship, Gun Violence, High School, I'm Bad At Tagging, Original Fiction, Past Character Death, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 08:41:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30086442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Limy_world/pseuds/Limy_world
Summary: Jeremy is new in the high school. On his first day he met Adam, a quiet and shy student.Through the weeks they  grow a blossoming friendship.But what will happen when a ghost from a dark past shows up
Relationships: Original Character & Original Character
Kudos: 1





	Tommorow's Light

** Part 1 : Meeting **

_Whoever said that being the new kid in school is cool was wrong_ , Jeremy thought.

It only brings odd looks and unwanted attention. See, he was a Californian boy, lived all his life with the rhythm of the city and the sea. Having plenty of friends, and being the top of his former class. To be fair his life was near perfect back there. But his dad had a burnout and his family decided to move to a quieter place. Their choice ended up being some lost city in Kansas.

And so here he was, wondering where his class could be in this new high school. He needed to adapt quickly for his senior year if he wanted to graduate.

Don’t get it wron! Jeremy was a social kind of guy, so re-adapting shouldn’t be a problem. It was only a matter of time to get used to this new environment.

“Where’s the C206 class?” he muttered aloud, passing through different corridors and many staircases. “And where’s everybody! It’s like I’m the only human it this whole building!”.

Finally, Jeremy caught a glimpse of a basket around a corner, he decided to start running after the owner of this shoe and asked them where was his class.

“HEY! Wait up!” The said owner was a boy. A tuft of messy brown hair falling over his face, hazel eyes meeting Jeremy's blue when he turned over taking off one of his earphones.

“Excuse me for bothering you, but see I’m a new student this year and I was wondering if you could help me navigate, around here?”, asked Jeremy.

The brunet seemed a little bit uncomfortable, maybe he was also a new student? Or maybe he was just awkward around new people, not everybody was chatty or outgoing remembered Jeremy.

“You can say no haha, I get it if you don’t want to chaperone a newbie like me. But humm maybe you can just pinpoint to me where I should go for the C206 class?”. Jeremy didn’t know how to interact with this boy, he was silent, calm and was watching Jeremy as if he was trying to memorize every detail from his face. Finally, after maybe one minute of silence (was it only one minute? It felt longer), the boy opened his mouth.

“Sure. Follow me.”, was all he said.

The teenagers walked through some more corridors until they stopped in front of the door of the C206 classroom. Jeremy sighed with relief, “Thanks …” wait he didn’t know this boy name … This boy didn’t know his name neither! Where was his good manners?

“I’m Jeremy by the way!”, _okay maybe this was a little bit too direct_ the blond thought. But it seemed good enough since his guide smiled! And answered again in this quit voice:

“Adam.”

** Part 2 : The truth **

The following days, Jeremy and Adam realized that they had plenty of class together so they started to grow closer as friends. Teaming up for different assignments, eating together at the cafeteria…

“You know what Adam; I was kind of scared to move here at first. I thought I would be an outsider being this ‘Californian city boy’ with all of the clichés that come with it. I mean, they aren’t even true!”

“You mean your blonde hair, blue eyes and tanned skin with a surfer body type are not Californian clichés?” Adam teased rising an eyebrow.

“How dare you expose me like that!” answered Jeremy with a false offended tone. “You know what, my turn to make assumptions about you mister smartypants; hmmm let me think... you like strawberries!” Jeremy announced proudly with a smile that could blind whoever dared to stare at it for too long.

“What’s that kind of assumption?", Adam laughed Who doesn’t like strawberries?”.

“Ha! See. I was right you do like them so, one point for me!”

“If it makes you happier so be it.”, replied Adam. 

Weeks passed by and the two boys started to stay together more often than not.

Jeremy ended up being friend with many other students in the high school, but noticing that Adam was always alone without him, he decided to stick with him. Maybe he could help this boy to socialize more?

After all, Adam screamed ‘quiet kid’ energy. Always staying at the back of a room, walking along the corridors, keeping his head down to avoid eye contact and when someone walked closer to him, or was talking to him. He also seemed to curl up on himself to look smaller sometimes.

But Jeremy soon learned that if given the chance and patience, once the shorter boy was comfortable enough around a person, he would open up.

Sadly, he still didn’t understand the other quite well. Like for example; sometimes everything would be fine, they would study together or just talk when, after a certain word or a certain sound, Adam would shut down. Becoming lifeless, his stare empty, not a glimpse of life in those hazel orbs.

Jeremy also noticed that sometimes, Adam wouldn’t come to school. And when he reappeared, it would be with dark rings under his eyes or bruises here and there. 

And whenever Adam was back, he would avoid eye contact again and to the famous question “How are you doin’?” he would simply put on a fake smile and answer an “I’m alright.”, not that many people would ask him anyway. Jeremy also knows that Adam would sometimes stay later at the campus, even though they didn’t have any more lessons.

So today, he decided to stay at school and to wait for Adam, and asks him what was going on.

Watching his phone, Jeremy realized that the closing time of the school was soon. He was waiting on the road he usually takes with Adam to return home so he was sure that the brunette was still inside. He decided to go check, _maybe he’s just studying in the library and didn’t saw the time passed?_ He was heading there when he heard something.

He should have seen it coming… after all we don’t live in a wonderful happily ever after kind of world; so, when a tall muscular boy caught Adam by the collar of his hoodie and roughly pushed him into an empty classroom, Jeremy decided to go save him. _How did I not noticed that MY friend was bullied??_ he thought, arriving at the door. That’s when he heard the brute saying “So what! You think that now that you are ‘friend’ with the new cool pretty boy you’ve got the right to walk around like you fit in? Come on, once he knows what happened to you, he will leave you all alone. Nobody wants to stick with you! Just look at yourself, you’re a burden for everybody. Why didn’t you get rid of yourself already? …” That’s when Jeremy saw red and decided it was enough, _Who’s this guy anyway??_ He slammed the door open and walk straight to this douchebag, who was still holding Adam by the shirt.

“Who- “he didn’t get to finish this sentence before a fist was connecting to his face. A ‘crack’ was heard through the walls of this silent empty class. For seconds nobody moved; the three boys were all shocked of what just happened. Adam was the first to recover. Call it survival instinct or whatever but his first thought was to catch Jeremy bruised hand and ran away before Fred recovered. They ran until they were both out of breath, they ran outside of the campus, down some streets.

They sat on a bench and stayed silent for some time.

“Is your hand okay?” Adam timidly asked.

Jeremy looked down and saw that his knuckles had turned red.

“Yeah, … it’s just a little bit sore.”

“You didn’t have to do this you know” Adam said with a small voice.

“What are you talking about this jerk deserved it.”

Jeremy was not usually violent. But he couldn’t control himself when he heard this guy implied that Adam should _kill_ himself. It made him enter in an overprotective state of mind and his body just reacted before his brain, he knew there would be consequences but right now he needed to talk with Adam about what was said in this class.

“Listen, we’re friends, you know you can count on me, right?” Adam who had his head down until then, nodded a little. It was the only clue that he was listening.

“Okay so you need to know that whatever happened to you I’ll still be your friend; you can talk to me. I can’t help you if I don’t know what is wrong. And before you try to stop me to say ‘I’m alright’ or some lies like that, just know that I’m sorry I didn’t realize that you were bullied sooner” Jeremy needed to be 100% honest here, he needed Adam’s trust for this discussion to works.

A soft laugh could be heard from the brunet: “hehe, why are you apologizing, I’m a terrible person”, he said with a broken voice, “maybe if you knew me one year sooner, I could have been a better friend to you. It’s not fair that you stay with me, I’ll only tear you down. Fred’s right I’m a burden…”. Jeremy didn’t like how this discussion were going.

“Why would you think that?” The silent grew between the two, the winter wind started to rise, Adam shivered in his hoodie. The atmosphere was getting tenser by the seconds so Jeremy decided to change the subject. Opening his mouth to do so, “You know- “, “I lost my parents in a car accident this summer.” Jeremy closed his mouth, Adam continued with his eyes still glued to the ground playing nervously with his fingers.

“I should have died with them this night, but fate decided otherwise I guess… Now I’m under the responsibility of my aunt Aisha but she’s never around so… I also need to take some antidepressant and stuff like that because my mind is kind of... Let’s say it could be better in there.” He said pointing at his head with a bony finger. “So, you see now why nobody should stick with me. I’m broken. The old me died back there, now I’m only an empty shell.”. You could hear his voice shaking, and soft sob escaping his lips.

“You’re wrong.”

Three simple words. They made Adam raised his head and finally stared back at those blue eyes, that was glittering with some tears.

“You’re not broken, you’re strong. Never forget that. What you've been through seems truly horrible, I won’t lie to you I can’t even imagine how I would have reacted but look at yourself. Going to school, continuing to live, that is super courageous bro.”

Adam was shocked to say out loud. He thought that Jeremy would give him this look full of pity that he was so used to by now. But he only saw kindness and honesty.

It was getting late, Jeremy decided to walk Adam safely back home. At his front door Adam stopped, turned around to look at Jeremy and thanked him again for everything. From their talk, to the punch he gave to Fred. He had to admit that this was pretty cool.

** Part 3 : Solitude **

“Aunt Aisha?”

“…”

_Alone again_ thought Adam, he shouldn’t be so surprised, after all his aunt got a job that require her to be mobile. She was the only member of his family that lived close enough to his high school and accepted to take him in until his 18th birthday that would be coming in March. So, in approximatively 5 months now...

He went to the kitchen to make a meal when he noticed a note on the fridge,

“Adam, sorry for not having warned you but I have to be away for a month. You will find money in a closet of my room I trust you to make good use of it. -Aisha”

Opening the fridge Adam noticed that it was half empty. Checking the clock, 7PM, he thought it wasn’t so late and decided to go to the groceries to buy food.

He went to his aunt’s room, found the said closet and started to look for the money.

Once at the penultimate drawer he found something glittering. He pushed the clothes and found out that the light was reflecting from the barrel of a revolver.

He stopped his searching and admired the firearm. To be fair it was a simple revolver as you could see in every movie or every gun shop, but bearing one for the first time made him feel stronger and he liked that. He decided that he would borrow it sometimes. Just to feel safe! He put the gun aside and continued to seek for the money.

30 minutes later he was at the groceries.

Waiting for his turn in the line he noticed a TV broadcasting the news. The journalist was talking about a man that lost it and decided to murder his wife and neighbor. _What a world we are leaving in heh_ , he felt the back pocket of his jeans vibrate.

_That’s strange nobody usually sends me message except Aisha and my therapist?_ Curious the boy opened   
his phone and smiled: 

Actually, maybe somebody cared now.

At first when Adam saw Jeremy, he thought that this boy was a Fred 2.0. A bully that hides his vicious side behind fake smiles, but he quickly realized that he was wrong and Jeremy was truly trying to be a good friend for him. Always patient, not asking about his strange behavior.

This warmed his heart, but he knew it’ll take time before he could start feeling truly happy again. His therapist, Madam Jackson, said that, it was normal to feel tired and like nothing will get better, he said it’s because he was depressed and suffered from PTSD.

_But what does he truly know about me? SHE didn’t see his parents dying. SHE didn’t stay in a hospital for days scared and alone. SHE DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING!_

“Young man! It’s your turn.”

Adam shakes his head, while the cashier was passing the articles his gaze was once again ended up on the TV.

The journalist explained that the husband killed his victims in a fit of anger. “Morbid story eh.”, said the storekeeper. “That would be $40”, Adam paid and returned home thinking; _This guy killed his wife in a fit of anger… but we don’t know, maybe only defended himself, maybe this woman was a bad person and getting rid of her was a way of saving people._

Adam forgot that he needed to take his medicine this night.

** Part 4 : the haunting past **

As it was planned, Adam walked to the bench where they talked last evening. Jeremy was already sitting. They started talking about various things:

“Okay but have you ever listened to AJR?”

“I don’t think so, are they like top band in California?”

“Ha ha, you’re funny. Stop thinking that California is another country man.", after a moment he added "I’ll need to bring you there one day.” Adam thought it would be a great idea he never left Kansas. Not that it isn’t a beautiful place but he thinks he needed to see the world. He needed to leave this place that reminded him of painful memories.

His new down mood should have been evident, because Jeremy put a hand on Adam‘s hand as if to say: _you’re not alone_.

Adam looked at the wintery sky. It would soon be December, and then a new year would start.

Adam sighed softly; a little puff of air could be seen. He decided he would tell Jeremy what happened, it’s only fair to him since they have been sticking together sharing everything. It was time to tell the story.

He remembered his therapist, Miss Jackson, encouraging him to express his feelings and not confine them inside until they exploded.

So, he started, and Jeremy listened:

________________________________last summer_________________________________

The evening was calm, the road empty.

A simple family were coming back home after a theatre evening.

“I’m gonna say it: I think Onward is my new favorite animated movie.” The only woman in the car announced while driving the vehicle.

“You can’t be serious! What about the first generation of animated movie! We need to support the oldest dear!”

“Oh tragedy! Mom is siding with the new generation, what will you do dad!” said the boy on the back seat teasing his father.

“You are not part of this discussion mister ‘my favorite movie is not even a Disney’”

“Well pardon me but How to train your dragon IS the best movie EVER. I won’t tolerate anybody telling me otherwise.”

Voices suddenly **stopped**.

…………. Ringing

Bright blinding light 

**red**

_Everything’s red………. What happened????????_

“…mommy?” silence “…daddy?”

“-my god! Oh my - “ 

“ _Who’s this”_ thought Adam. _Gosh everything hurts._ The sixteen years old wanted to cry.

“He-help…”, the stranger turned around. Adam saw this face that would haunt his future night terrors: sick poison ivy green eyes, an ugly scar running through the left cheek of this man and a dissonant voice.

_Is this man here to help us?_ A glimmer of hope illuminated the face of this terrified kid.

_Wa-Wait is he LEAVING??_ Adam managed enough strength to adapt his position outside of the overturned car crawling through the broken window, enough to see the man walking in his own car, and turning around.

Leaving them.

Alone.

_HE is responsible for what happened, and he leaved._

_________________________________present day________________________________

“Everything went black after that; I remember waking up in a hospital. A nurse telling me that my aunt was going to take care of me. I was alone in this empty white room. Hoping all of this was only a terrible nightmare. But it wasn’t. The doctors said that I was lucky, only having bruised ribs and head trauma. I don’t remember my parents’ funeral. I was certainly too out of it, or in denial. My therapist diagnosed me with PTSD and Depression. I stayed a few days at the hospital, being only by myself most of the day. I remember thinking about what I should have done, you know what if I saw that car coming in front of us, or what if I were able to grab a phone and call the emergency sooner?” Adam finished voice heavy with emotions.

Jeremy was at a loss for words. What could he possibly say?

“I’m truly sorry for you. This man was the coward. You shouldn’t feel responsible for anything. It was all an accident.”

“Yeah, survivor guilt, … I know, my therapist helped me to put words onto my emotions.” Adam answered.

After another short moment of silence, the brunet said:

“I found my aunt’s gun…”

Again, Jeremy didn’t know how to answer that. He knew that in California you needed a permit and couldn’t openly carry a firearm but here, in Kansas, was it allowed?

“And what are you gonna do with it?” he was nervous about the possibilities of the answer.

“Nothing I think.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, so you want to show me what we can do in this city during free time?”, Jeremy decided to change the subject.

“Sure, follow me.”

“Seems like a déjà-vu haha.”

The boys walked around many places, going from a little park in the middle of the city to a mall where they did not buy anything but continue to walk down the main street just for the sake of moving around and staying warm.

The afternoon came to an end and they exchanged goodbye before splitting away to go home.

Adam was almost home when something caught his eye:

Poison ivy green eyes.

On the sidewalk across the street, a tall man was talking to a young man that Adam couldn’t see but when the adult turned his face, he saw it…

A scar across the left cheek.

It was the monster that killed his family! Adam was sure of it!!

Anger took over the shocked even more when Adam realized that this demon was talking to – Fred?

_Don’t tell me…_

“Son for the last time! Don’t ask me for more money if it’s to spend it on some useless tools.”

_They’re related?? All this time Fred Wiggins tossed my life, bullied me, hit me. AND HIS DAD KILLED MY PARENTS!!_

Rage was boiling through his veins, he wanted to make them suffer as they made HIM suffered!

Why would HE have to suffer all his life, when he was only the victim? NOT anymore. He will take his destiny into his own hands. They would pay for what they did…

** Part 5 : A friend’s worries **

Jeremy was in detention for the following few days, because of the punch he gave to Fred in the face, even though the said student was harassing another student… _where’s the logic??_ he thought. Because of it, he wasn’t able to hang a lot with Adam.

Walking through the busy corridor, Jeremy catches a glimpse of tuft brown hair he called out “Adam!” and started to walk faster to catch up with the other boy. But when Adam noticed his friend coming closer, instead of stopping and wait, he turned over and disappeared. That’s when Jeremy started to notice that Adam was acting weirder. He skipped meal (that being the only moment where they could be together), wasn’t focusing in class and even weirder stared at Fred most of the time. If he didn’t know better, he would think that Adam was stalking the taller boy.

_He’s not answering my messages and he’s avoiding me at school…_

Knowing that Adam was kind of unstable emotionally speaking, Jeremy decided to take action. He was walking to his next class, hopping that Adam would be here, so they could clear things up.

_If he’s not in there, I’ll wait for him at the school gates and if he manages to slip through my hands again, I’ll directly go to his home._

Lucky he, Adam’s house was one of the only places he could go without getting lost in this city.

When he raised his head to look in the class, his gaze landed where he and Adam were supposed to be, he noticed the empty sit next to his and sighed. _Yeah, I’ll go check on him after school._

** Part 6 : A dark path **

_I’m ready_

Adam was walking down the street repeating this sentence over and over again in hope that it would become true.

He clenched Aisha's revolver that was hidden in the left pocket of his winter coat.

After learning that his parents’ murderer was here, in Cherryvale, the same city, Adam started plotting his vengeance.

He already knew HOW he will do it, by then he just needed to know where was this devil during the day. That’s why during all the week he followed Fred. His effort paid off because now he knew that his bully’s father worked in the far east of the city. So that’s where he was heading at the moment.

His heart rate was accelerating.

His hands flew often into his pocket feeling the now familiar weight of the weapon.

It was calming him, knowing that soon he would avenge his parents.

One last turn.

His plan was simple go in the building, found the man, kill him and don’t worry about the consequences.

He was READY.

“vvvvvvrrrrrr vrrrrrrrrrr” the sudden vibration scared him

It was funny thinking that Jeremy, or sunshine boy as he liked to call him in his head, was worried about HIS life when he was going to take one. _He’ll be better without me anyway._

His decision was made.

He took the turn.

Went into the open space.

“Excuse me Madam”, he said sweetly “I’ve got an appointment with Mr. Wiggins”. The woman watched him suspiciously, she did some searched on her computer and after what felt like the longest seconds in Adam’s life she said:

“Pardon me sir, but Mr. Wiggins is not available for the moment he went on a sudden business trip. Would you want a new consultation?”

What did she mean by not available?? Was he hiding somewhere knowing that his past action was coming back for him?? How would he kill this man without knowing where he was??

“Sir?”, her voice brings Adam’s back to reality.

He started stammering an apology and left the office.

** Part 7 : The downfall **

Once outside, his thoughts were scattered. What would he do now??

He started running across the streets. Not minding the passerby or the cars. Every sound was echoing through his head. His vision began to twirl. Cars honking, angry shout. His brain decided to shut down every sound. Only leaving this unbearable silence. He was having a PTSD episode.

Everything was **red**. Blood. Silence. Pain. Adam screamed at the top of his lungs in the middle of the street.

People stared at him. They must wonder what happened to this child? Some noticed that the said child was holding a revolver in his hand. And, courageous souls decided to intervene. The boy was in panic that was obvious. A man put his hands on the shoulder of the younger one in hope to calm him down. But, instead of doing so, it only aggravated the situation.

“ **GET** **AWAY FROM** **ME**!!” Adam shouted.

In his panicked state, Adam started hallucinating seeing his parents covered in blood, seeing Mr. Wiggins with a face long sick smile.

He stretched out the trembling arm holding the gun, threatening these ghosts who approached.

“This kid is unstable!” cried someone watching the scene.

Adam wasn’t seeing clearly, he continued to shouts warnings about whoever came too close.

When another adult tried to resonated with him, he lost it. Began to shoot at the sky, and taking advantage of the panic to fled.

He stopped running when tears were obscuring his eyes. While watching where he was, he spotted a couple and their child walking out of a theatre. Seeing this engaged a new trigger in him.

_Well look at this **HAPPY** little **family**. Ha! Are they going home? _Adam started to observed them with sick fascination. _But imagine if **I** decided that **NO** … they **won’t** go home today. _Adam’s grip tightened around the revolver handled. He set out to aim at the family, who did not notice him. _Yeah, why would **THEY** have the right to come home?? When **I** did **NOT**._

Adam was about to pull the trigger when a truck went between him and them. When the truck passed, the family started their car and left carelessly. As if Adam had never existed and had not frightened their little life, oh so perfect. _Lucky._

Adam was tired he wanted all of this to end. Deciding to head home, he started walking mindlessly in the street. The night was getting darker, we could have thought he was a ghost haunting this city. Wandering with empty eyes, a gun in his left hand.

Finally, only one thought mattered to him now:

_Fine, if I can’t find the dad, it’s only fair I take a member of **HIS** family in return. An eye for an eye as we say._

Adam was surprised to see someone at his door by that hour.

_Is this Jeremy? What is he doing here?_

Remembering the last messages that he received from the boy, and knowing that he didn’t answer, Adam put two and two together.

Jeremy thought that he decided to kill himself or something like that! Gosh this was foolish, if he really thought that he was a danger for himself he should have called the 911 or something.

Adam couldn’t finish his thought because the other teenager noticed him, and started walking determinedly.

“Well, I hope you enjoyed your walk? You think it’s funny sharing with me your past and then ignoring me; letting me get worried.”

Adam was dumbfounded **_funny??_** Didn’t this guy understand? Adam didn’t tell his story with him to receive more pity! This guy had no right to act as his guardian or whatever. They only met 3 month ago!

Anger once again rushed through him. It’s like all this time a dam was holding his feelings but now the dam broke. Letting all his emotions take control. Over his body, his gestures and even his voice which no longer answered him.

“Leave me alone.” Was all he said in the coldest tone Jeremy ever heard from Adam, before passing by him not even giving him an eye contact.

The front door slammed shut.

Jeremy was left in the silent winter night, alone and scared for his friend. He felt cold but it wasn’t because of the weather. He may have overreacted but what he saw only confirm that something was really wrong.

_He was carrying a **gun**._

** Part 8 : Dawn **

The next day, Adam went to school as if the last evening events never happened. He was back to be this quiet kid.

Jeremy kept an eye on him, he also noticed the dark under Adam’s eyes; _did he get any sleep last night?_

The last lesson of the day ended.

Jeremy saw Adam getting out of the class following Fred. Gathering quickly his belongings, Jeremy ran after them. They were heading outside; Jeremy was scared that Adam get himself in some kind of trouble with Fred. But when he realized that it was Adam that was leading Fred to the stadium bleachers, he thought it wasn’t normal and decided to join them. They took a sharp turn and disappeared from his sight; Jeremy decided to run faster.

When Fred started to walk back in the direction of the campus Adam turned around and Jeremy heard a loud ‘bang’ even though he never heard this sound in real life he couldn’t mistake it. It was a gunshot. And the gun was in Adam’s hand. While his brain was calculating what had just happened, Jeremy saw Fred turned back and returning to the stadium direction with his hands up in surrender. Was it Adam who had just threatened him with a prevention shot? Jeremy didn't believe it.

Jeremy was getting closer by the seconds, he started to wonder if it was a good idea, he was weaponless after all. Against all the odds he decided that his friendship with Adam would be his weapon. He was sure he would be able to go through the boy and resonated him.

He was finally at earshot and could hear what the others two were telling each other,

“You know, your dad is a murderer. So, I think I could possibly forgive you for being such a jerk after all.”

“What are you even saying!?” asked Fred puffing his torso to seem bigger, but that did not make Adam wavered. HE was the one in control after all.

“Don’t you think it’s funny how you were the one that continually harassed me both mentally and physically, but in the end, it was your dad that managed to break me. See, that car accident that killed my parents, well guess what! I saw the face of the man who drove right onto us! ANNNND turned out this man was **YOUR DAD**!!” Adam went into a fit of laugher but we could see tears falling on his reddened cheeks. His anger and distress were taking control. His eyes, only emanating rage.

“Listen man-” tried to say Fred, but Adam didn’t let him.

“I don’t care about what you’re going to say. See, I know it’s going to be a lie so save it”, all traced of humanity left by the end of this sentence. From now on, Fred felt like he was listening to a psycho that was trying to convince himself that he was doing the right thing.

“I’m sure you felt untouchable back then huh, being at the top of the high school food chain. But guess what! **YOU**. **ARE**. **NOTHING**. Nobody cares about what you do, so you thought why not do whatever you want! After all nobody will notice it! You’re just this poor little orphaned boy that needs guidance! Be a nice little boy, take your medicine, it will be alright, it’s **okay**. Well breaking news everybody: **IT’S NOT**.”

“Are we still talking about me…” muttered Fred, he was genuinely scared now. Don’t get him wrong! He was NOT afraid of Adam no; he was afraid of the Adam blinded by grief and anger holding a gun and accusing his dad of murderer!

“So now, I’m going to avenge my family by taking his. Nothing personal. No; wait, actually it is totally personal. An eye for an eye or in this case an orphaned child for a grieving parent.”

Adam raised the gun.

Fred was stitched to the ground terrified.

The trigger of the firearm is pressed.

‘BANG’

Arms around his skinny frame.

The gun escaping his hand and falling behind him.

The bullet never reached it’s target.

“RUN FRED!” screamed Jeremy.

“Let. Go. **OF. ME**!” Adam squirmed in every direction trying to get away from the other teen.

They rolled on the ground, kicked were given, hair pulled and nails digging through the skins.

Adam trying to free himself and Jeremy trying to hold him back.

“You don’t want to do this!” tried Jeremy, maybe he could talk him out of it!

“ **STOP** pretending. You have NO idea about what’s going on!!”

“So what!? You think I risked **MY life** just for pretending to care about you!? Adam for the love of- OPEN YOUR EYES! You’re not alone anymore even if your aunt is not often with you, she loves you why would she take care of you if not? And me? I know we met only 3 months ago! But believe it or not, I grew close to you and **I KNOW that you are NOT a killer**.”

Adam stopped struggling so much after that. Instead, he started to panic, hyperventilating.

“No no no, Adam listen to me, breath with me!”

After managing to calm him down, Jeremy let go of Adam and they sat in front of each other.

“You’re right… I’m not a killer.” Adam announced with red puffy eyes full of tears, biting his trembling lips.

Jeremy sighed with relief. He did it! He saved both Fred and Adam!

“But I can’t stand all of this anymore.”

_WHAT?_ Adam rushed the sentence so fast that Jeremy wasn’t even sure he heard it correctly before seeing Adam crouching down to catch the gun bringing it to his head with a sad smile, he closed his eyes and for the second time within the hour, Jeremy saw in slow-motion. 

He rushed to Adam’s side, caught the hand holding the gun and he shifted it. Only by few inches, just before the trigger was pulled.

Adam’s heard a loud explosion, and then hot white pain erupted on the left side of his head.

The last thing he heard was his name desperately called.

Then everything turned black.

** Part 9 : Tomorrow’s light **

7 months later,

“Smile!” Aisha said to the two best friends. “Look who graduated AND got a mention.” Said the woman elbowing her nephew. “I’m so proud of you Adam!”.

Adam smiled hearing that. Jeremy was also here. Even after everything that occurred during that last year the Californian boy was still sticking with him, their friendship only growing stronger.

Having the 2 most important people in your life during a memorable event is the best thing in the world, decided Adam.

After the event of last November, let’s say that things went a little wild in the small city of Cherryvale. Adam and Jeremy would live with scars from this day. Adam having lost a part of his left ear and Jeremy will keep a scar on his arm where the bullet scratched him.

It’s been the second time this year that Adam woke up in a hospital bed. But this time he was not alone. Aisha and Jeremy were there for him. He obviously needed to go see his therapist which gave him a new treatment.

They also talked about his and Fred’s dad situation. Adam wanted this guy to pay for what he did but after many sessions with Madam Jackson, she finished by made him understand that his memory from an accident wasn’t enough proof that it was the same man. It could have been a simple hallucination or a simple coincidence. From there on, Adam continued to mourn his family but, now that he was in a healthier state of mind, he acknowledges his psychotic episode and agreed to take responsibility and face the consequences. His states of mind and the fact that by that time, he stopped taking his medication was a reason valid enough to the police. They still wanted him to go see Ms. Jackson every week and report back any incident though.

“See you at our bench!” shouted Jeremy leaving to talk with his family.

Adam smiled back and nodded. He looked up to the sky. Closed his eyes. Just felling the moment.

He had to live with a dark past but, you know what?

Yesterday’s Darkness could be win over by Tomorrow’s Light.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Limy's here;  
> So this is my first written down fiction, ever... I won't lie I'm kinda excited to share it with you.  
> Here's the little context behind this fiction: Basically this was a school assignement, asked us to write a scenario with the main characters being a minor American, he needed to bear an arm and walk around a city...   
> Yeah that was it. So i suddenly got hit by motivation and wrote this fic in 2 days.   
> Now that i delivered it to my teacher, i wanted to keep the story somwhere and since i've got an account here on AO3 (for reading NOT writting) i thought : Hey why don't you post it here?   
> And as all of your clever heads guessed that's what i did!  
> So yeah again i wanted to thanks all of my potential reader! Kudos on you guys ^^  
> (Disclaimer: I am a terrible writter AND english is not my first language XD)  
> Special thanks to my beta reader! Without him my fiction would be grammatically speaking: a mess ;)


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